Nearly every sector of the global music industry is experiencing significant job growth as of 2025, with approximately 97,825 people now employed worldwide in music production and distribution alone. This represents a remarkable 13.9% increase in just one year, following several years of decline when the sector contracted by an average of 2.2% annually between 2019 and 2024. Industry analysts attribute this resurgence to expanding digital music markets and innovative approaches to talent discovery and management.
Major companies like SESAC, Warner Music Group (WMG), Universal, and Sony are leading this transformation through their hiring practices. These organizations have increasingly adopted AI-driven tools for A&R functions, with platforms such as Sodatone and Instrumental employing machine learning to predict artist market potential and reduce traditional scouting biases.
This technological shift is reshaping job requirements across the industry, blending creative skills with business acumen and technological proficiency. The average business in this sector employs just 3.1 employees, highlighting the prevalence of smaller, specialized firms driving innovation.
The audio engineering segment has seen particularly strong growth, with sound and broadcast technician jobs numbering around 146,100—a 22% increase from prior years. The salary landscape shows improvement as well, with average audio engineer compensation reaching $79,280 compared to $65,000 in 2019. More telling is the freelance explosion in this field, with self-employed audio workers estimated to outnumber salaried employees by 5 to 8 times.
“The gig economy has fundamentally altered our industry’s employment landscape,” noted one WMG executive at a recent industry conference.
While traditional musician employment shows modest projected growth of only 1% from 2024 to 2034, the economic impact of the music sector remains substantial, contributing $170 billion annually to U.S. GDP and supporting 2.47 million jobs across 236,000 music-related businesses.
The industry’s 1.5x economic multiplier effect underscores its importance to adjacent sectors.
Career paths are evolving rapidly as independent artists and digital platforms disrupt traditional models. Companies are now prioritizing candidates who demonstrate expertise in social media advertising and promotion strategies that maximize artist visibility across streaming platforms. Hiring managers at major music companies increasingly seek professionals who understand playlist pitching strategies across major streaming services to optimize artist exposure and revenue potential. Hiring managers at major companies increasingly value candidates with skills in direct-to-fan engagement and digital marketing alongside conventional industry expertise.
As one SESAC hiring director remarked, “We’re not just looking for music lovers anymore—we need digital strategists who understand both algorithms and artistry.”
